Besides American visitors ready to spend money and contribute to the export of the Republic of Rwanda, another type of American visitor will go straight to prison. Such visitors may arrive on newly established nonstop flights from the U.S. to Rwanda using charter airlines or military aircraft.
Known as the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda’s stunning scenery and warm, friendly people offer unique experiences in one of the most remarkable countries in the world. It is blessed with extraordinary biodiversity, with incredible wildlife living throughout its volcanoes, montane rainforest, and sweeping plains.
The new type of travelers from the U.S. will most likely however, experience what Human Rights Watch says:
For decades, Rwandan authorities have subjected detainees, in both official and unofficial detention facilities, to ill-treatment and torture, with no accountability.
Shipping American prisoners overseas is not news. It started sending terror suspects to Cuba, and now continues by sending illegal immigrants to a torture prison in El Salvador, where the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been deporting illegal aliens who were convicted of a serious crime to a private prison in El Salvador paid by U.S. taxpayers. It can only be assumed that this is happening, so human rights may be violated.
US President Trump’s latest announcement is to eliminate one of the most desired tourist attractions. Those operating this attraction in San Francisco may lose their jobs so that the island of Alcatraz can be converted into a functioning prison again.
In another just-released statement by Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, East African, says his country has initiated discussions with Washington regarding accepting migrants deported from the United States.
In an interview with the state broadcaster Rwanda TV, the minister added that the negotiations with the US government are still in the preliminary phase.
“We are in discussions with the United States… It has not yet reached a stage where we can say exactly how things will proceed, but the talks are ongoing,” Mr. Nduhungirehe stated.
Last year, US President Donald Trump campaigned on a platform aimed at tightening immigration policies and reversing what he perceived as his predecessor, Joe Biden’s, lenient stance.
Since assuming office in January, Trump has broadened the expedited removal process for illegal immigrants and has withheld federal funding from sanctuary cities.
During a cabinet meeting at the White House last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington is ‘actively seeking other nations’ to accept ‘some of the most reprehensible individuals’ earmarked for removal from the United States.
“And the further away from America, the better, so they can’t come back across the border,” Rubio declared.
An Iraqi refugee who had been resettled was reportedly deported to Rwanda last month. At the same time, the Supreme Court has temporarily halted the deportation of Venezuelan migrants alleged to have gang affiliations.
Lately, Rwanda has positioned itself as a destination for individuals deported by Western countries, despite cautions from human rights organizations, such as the UN refugee agency, indicating that those sent to the African nation may face the risk of being sent back to their countries of origin.
Additionally, the UK Supreme Court ruled the scheme unlawful, labeling Rwanda as an unsafe third country for the resettlement of refugees. The government of Kigali has refuted these claims.
The latest US-Rwanda development follows the recent failure of a contentious asylum agreement between Rwanda and the United Kingdom.
Upon assuming office in July 2024, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government abolished the scheme, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper indicating it had cost taxpayers $930 million.
Starmer described the initiative as ‘dead and buried,’ claiming it had ‘never acted as a deterrent’ to illegal immigration and would eventually result in the deportation of ‘less than 1%’ of individuals arriving via small boats. Following the cancellation of the agreement, Rwanda reportedly sought £50 million in compensation from the British government.
